You asked for it, you got it, Toyota. Just pay the $16.4 million fine and move on.

According to documents the once-golden automaker provided to federal investigators, Toyota knew about the deadly accelerator defect in several models as far back as September, four months before it issued a recall in the United States. Federal law requires automakers to notify the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration of safety defects within five days.

Because of the evidence that, as Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said, “Toyota failed to live up to its legal obligations,” the fine federal regulators announced Monday is the most they can levy.

The company has two weeks to accept or contest the fine.

Toyota isn’t the only party who deserves scrutiny. There are still questions as to whether federal regulators themselves acted as quickly as they should have after hearing of the defect. But it’s clear that first something went wrong at Toyota – both in mechanics and management.

Still, many drivers love their Toyotas, and have nothing but trust for models that have performed reliably for years. That faith is critical as the company works to rebuild its reputation for safety and reliability in every model. Contesting a fine that appears to be justified by the company’s own documents would only jeopardize that and any future attempts to convince the public that the company – and its cars – deserve their trust again.